Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Rainbow Books

    3.6 (8 reviews)
    InexpensiveBookstores
    Open 10:30 am - 6:00 pm

    Rainbow Books Photos

    Recommended Reviews - Rainbow Books

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration
    Photo of Sarah-Jane B.
    280
    1096
    3360

    17 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Emma J.
    4
    359
    194

    17 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Pete L.
    6
    340
    206

    16 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    18 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ross M.
    24
    341
    281

    17 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Sophie W.
    12
    326
    332

    17 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Josh H.
    2
    292
    332

    16 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    14 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Verify this business for free

    Get access to customer & competitor insights.

    Verify this business

    Colin Page Antiquarian Books

    Colin Page Antiquarian Books

    3.9(11 reviews)
    0.4 mi
    ££

    Colin Page's is a very cool bookshop in the Lanes, selling antiques as well as a couple of second…read morehand classics and the like. It's not that great for fiction, theatre or modern art books (9/10ths of my bookshelf), so I don't come here very often, but it's the sort of place I can imagine liking more as I age and the books I like start to grace its shelves. It's not young, it's certainly not hip or cool, but it is impressive to behold, and a great place to find hidden gems. What I have looked for, and enjoyed the selection of, is non-fiction here. There are a huge variety of old classics here, especially in the psychology section: all of the classics are here, and in ample quantities. I suppose this is the kind of shop to look for strange old books over looking for modern and exciting pieces, but since that really isn't me... I'd recommend it if it's you though.

    This ia a bookshop above bookshops and certainly the kind of place you don't see so often these…read moredays. Don't expect trendy music, a in store coffee bar or the latest fiction or Jordan biography. What you can expect are shelves well stocked with leather bound tomes and grimoires covering most fiction and non fiction genres. I am a bit of a collector of random metaphysical texts and such like and can spend hours in here searching through the shelves for something out of the ordinary. Usually, anything I come across is in my price range also, which is always nice. The gentlemen running the store are also very nice and always patient to indulge a heavy browser like myself. Sadly, I rarely walk in here with a clear title I am hunting for, but I get the impression that if this was the case they would be very helpful in sourcing a copy for me. If you are more into your contemporary paperback, they also have a selection of reasonably priced title out the front of the store and I have picked up a few bargains here by sorting through the fruit boxes. If you are in the city and after a title, you would do well to keep this place in mind.

    Photos
    Colin Page Antiquarian Books
    Colin Page Antiquarian Books
    Colin Page Antiquarian Books

    See all

    City Books

    City Books

    4.2(10 reviews)
    0.9 mi
    ££

    James Ellroy or David Peace? Hunter S. Thompson or William…read moreS. Burroughs? Banana Yoshimoto or Haruki Murakami? Carson McCullers or William Faulkner? Whatever authors you're into, City Books is a brilliant independent bookshop that's head and shoulders above Borders, Waterstones and other chains in the city. It's so small a coach party would have to visit in groups of ten but they manage to pack a lot of great fiction into that wee space. There's a lot of new releases, classic and cult fiction, crime, sci-fi, horror and womens fiction as well as a small selection of childrens books, cookbooks, travel books and art and design tomes downstairs. They also sell a fantastic range of greetings cards and Moleskin notebooks. The staff are all genuine book lovers so if you want something recommending, just ask. In summer, they often have a table outside offering reduced paperbacks and throughout the year they run a series of author events and readings at The Old Market - two minutes down the road. Nick Cave read from his recent novel here a few weeks ago and they have lots of authors lined up between now and Christmas. Speaking of Santa, I could probably do all my Christmas shopping here....

    Books aren't for schmucks! I have written about both of Brighton and Hove's main libraries and how…read morebooks are a fantastic way to beat the credit crunch: "Libraries are a great way to be entertained and educated in times of economic hardship. Although the credit crunch sounds like a really boring breakfast cereal, it may have actually affected the way you spend money." Yeah I just quoted myself, what of it? I am going to contradict myself somewhat by now reviewing a bookshop and describing it as a great way to beat the credit crunch when I previously stated that the BEST way to do this is to get the same books from the library for free. However, you can't get all books from the library. There are some books that are too niche or just not there, so it is therefore necessary to hunt them down elsewhere. The internet is great for this, but a) the internet isn't a place in Brighton, and b) sometimes it is nicer to go out, see real people and support local businesses. Books and records are fantastically physical. It's not the same buying downloaded books, or music: it might be quicker and easier but it is ebbing away the physical way we consume. Books are records can be kept, shared, or sold on. They also give a home a real personal quality and show others what sort of person you are. City Books is a great example of a local business that we should be supporting. Not only does it give you the chance to buy books that you might not be able to get elsewhere and keep up the great tradition of reading, but they also offer an interactive experience with regular readings and book launches by established authors. It is inexpensive, educational and inspiring.

    Photos
    City Books
    City Books
    City Books

    See all

    Books For Amnesty

    Books For Amnesty

    4.5(8 reviews)
    0.0 mi
    £

    One of the best shops for secondhand books in the city, Books for Amnesty is housed in an…read moreeye-catching, bright pink building at the heart of the North Laines. Spread over two floors and three rooms, it offers a brilliant selection of contemporary fiction, classic books, biographies, academic textbooks and a smaller selection of art, film, music, travel, food and history books. All of them are reasonably priced - I picked up two books by fiction writers I'd wanted to read for the bargain price of £4 - and there's also a small selection of old records and CDs. The icing on the cake is the friendliness of the staff. Everytime I've been in they have been helpful and welcoming and seem genuinely enthusiastic about both books and the causes Amnesty International draw attention to. I haven't been to any but apparently, they run occasional poetry slams and readings in the shop. They also encourage local artists to exhibit installations in the main window. My only problem is if I keep shopping there, I'll end up needing another bookshelf!

    Really well organized and user friendly for a second hand book shop, Books for Amnesty is a…read morerelaxing and informative bookstore. Whether your looking for obscure books in the LGBT or the 'Old and Interesting' section, or you want to talk about Amnesties work, and get yourself involved, it's all here, and all with an inviting and inclusive vibe. The main ground floor rooms has a large selection of fiction and non-fiction books arranged A-Z by author, and unlike a classically chaotic and ramshackle second hand bookstore, there is a good and up to date selection, which is accessible as well as in good condition. The two rooms adjoining this contain, in one, an interesting selection of vinyl (The Who, Queen) and CD's, which of course contains your untouched classics (Cliff Richard) and some modern hits such as Franz Ferdinand. There is also a chance for local talent to sell their music here, and I saw a CD made by a student at Sussex called Dan Sartain, which is nice to see. In the other room, the books are split into genres such as Gender, History, Psychology, and include some interesting reads for the the hobbyist and if your lucky some invaluable literature for students and academics. Upstairs provides a more old fashioned and eclectic/crazy mix of old sporting biographies and the vague but enticingly named 'Old and Interesting', which houses books that look like they might contain some sort of medieval potion by the looks of it's cover and binding. Though as they say 'you cant judge a book...blah blah', which is so very true. The best way to judge a book is to come to this store, and whilst your at it, maybe find out about Amnesty.

    Photos
    Books For Amnesty
    Books For Amnesty
    Books For Amnesty

    See all

    Castor + Pollux

    Castor + Pollux

    4.3(7 reviews)
    0.7 mi
    £££

    Owned by the lovely Mike and Robert, Castor + Pollux is a cool design emporium that sells unique…read moreand distinctive textiles, lampshades, pottery, jewellery and homeware. It also stocks a fantastic array of art, design, travel, food and photography books by the best international publishers from Thames & Hudson to Chronicle Books. The shop also doubles as a gallery exhibiting and selling limited edition prints and canvases by talented artists and illustrators, like Johnny Hannah and Paul Davis. If you're interested in finding about forthcoming exhibitions, drop into the shop or log onto Castor + Pollux website and sign up for their newsletter. Right now, I'm pining for the white horse lamp they sell. Sadly, the piggy bank is empty.

    Castor and Pollux is a cute, artsy shop on the seafront. It's quite large, but cluttered and a bit…read moredifficult to manoeuvre through, but who can be in a grouchy mood when the ocean is RIGHT THERE?? Not me, recovering prairie girl. One half of the shop is more like an art gallery - drawings and paintings displayed on the wall, with unframed copies available for lower prices. Some of the artwork looked strangely familiar to me - and I recognised the name Quentin Blake as the illustrator for Roald Dahl's books. Neat! The rest of the shop is an arts and crafts-y gift shop: magnetic poetry, art supplies, jewellery ranging from kitschy to elegant, day planners, journals, posters and some large, colourful art books. A selection of greeting cards is also available, and Christmas items have been discounted - decorations and holiday knick knacks. The shop has a nice, laid back atmosphere and a wide variety of items if you don't mind getting close to strangers while you work your way around.

    Photos
    Castor + Pollux
    Castor + Pollux
    Castor + Pollux

    See all

    Across The Tracks

    Across The Tracks

    3.7(6 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    £

    The sheer range of LPs on offer stops me from giving this place a 2, but I must admit I'm not…read morestruck on Across the Tracks at all. Where as "Monkey Music Emporium" and "Borderline" can't hope to compete with the volume at ATT, they both have something that Across the Tracks really craves... A personality. I just feel this place doesn't care, from its general lack of ordering, absence of a stock sheet (the owners themselves won't be able to tell you if they have what you want), and surprisingly steep prices for second hand LPs, it feels soulless. Save your money, and head over to Monkey Music Emporium for a great store, with fantastic prices, and the feeling that both you and the music you crave matters.

    Price, range, volume and personality, I was blown away by my unexpectedly idyllic experience at…read morethis veritable vinyl heaven. It ain't pretty, but it sure provided the goods in abundance. And the prices were the lowest I found throughout Brighton. From the old vinyl buffs that were behind the counter to the salty characters who were, in effect, record store roadies - this place oozes a lack of care for anything but the music itself, which I can definitely get behind. As soon as they found out I actually knew what I was talking about, they completely changed their aloof tune, pointed out some new treats for the pickin' and even showed me some rare gems they stash in the back for their treasure hunters. It's not about the hype or the decor or the chipper staff, ATT is all about the music. If you are as well, I'd highly recommend a good browse.

    Photos
    Across The Tracks - Great location

    Great location

    Across The Tracks
    Across The Tracks - Taken by me

    See all

    Taken by me

    Rainbow Books - bookstores - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...